Ireland, Belgium and the UK have agreed to strengthen their cooperation on renewable energy and interconnection projects.
The Joint Statement was signed by Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, along with his Belgian and UK counterparts, Minister Tinne van der Straeten and Andrew Bowie, in Bruges, Belgium.
Minister Ryan emphasised the importance of a multilateral approach to address Europe’s climate responsibilities, highlighting the need for infrastructure to capitalise on Ireland’s offshore wind potential and facilitate energy sharing with neighbouring countries.
Eamon Ryan stated that increased electricity interconnection is crucial for optimising renewable energy use and reducing costs.
The agreement builds on the North Sea Summit’s ambition to accelerate offshore wind development in the North Seas, including the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
The nine countries involved have set offshore wind targets of about 120GW by 2030 and 300GW by 2050, compared to the current combined capacity of less than 30GW.
This cooperation includes establishing a working group to address challenges and opportunities in developing offshore renewable energy infrastructure.
EirGrid will collaborate with its Belgian and UK counterparts to explore trilateral arrangements, with a report expected by mid-2025.
Belgian Minister Tinne van der Straeten noted that this new cooperation is a step towards achieving the North Sea Summit’s goals, emphasising that future energy security will rely on shared renewable resources.
UK Minister Andrew Bowie highlighted the North Sea’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse and the shared interest among the countries in reducing emissions and ensuring energy security.
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